£9m investment championing the next generation of dementia researchers

Currently only one in five dementia PhD students go on to stay in dementia research often due to underfunding and the challenging nature of academic careers. 

The news last week of potential new treatments in dementia highlights again that researchers taking their first steps into the field will be the dementia research leaders of the future. They are critical to maintaining the momentum to end the devastation caused by dementia.

Supporting students to enter dementia research

The centres will support nearly 90 students over five years to enter dementia research and will be led by Professor Stuart Allan at Manchester University, Professor John-Paul Taylor at Newcastle University, and Professor Nathan Davies and Professor Claudia Cooper at Queen Mary University of London.

They will focus on building knowledge and understanding in areas that have been particularly underfunded. This includes understanding how changes to blood vessels and our immune systems contribute to dementia, Lewy body dementia and Integrated Care. 

The Doctoral Training Centres will represent networks of researchers from a range of institutions working on the same research topic with varying expertise and specialisms.

Dementia is the UK’s biggest killer but there is still no cure. With this new, bold and ambitious generation of researchers, life-changing breakthroughs can be achieved which are so desperately needed by people living with this devastating condition.

The new Alzheimer’s Society Doctoral Training Centres, which build on a previous model led by the charity, will play a pivotal role in encouraging people to enter the field of dementia research, as well as create a supportive network. 

They will provide PhD students with unique access to activity across the centres – widening their options for peer support, networking, knowledge sharing, training, and equipment. This has previously shown to have a powerful effect in helping to support PhD students to continue their careers in dementia research.

Investing in the next generation of researchers

Fiona Carragher, Chief Policy and Research Officer at Alzheimer’s Society said: “Dementia is the biggest health and social care issue of our time. By 2040, 1.4 million people will be living with the condition in the UK. And yet a worrying number of dementia researchers leave the field after finishing their PhDs, so a catastrophic amount of talent and expertise is being lost.

“This is a significant investment, that aims to urgently attract and nurture a new, bold and ambitious generation of researchers so we can ramp up the speed and progress of life-changing breakthroughs so desperately needed for people living with this devastating condition.

“These Doctoral Training Centres will give students in the early stages of their dementia research careers fantastic opportunities to collaborate with their peers and build knowledge, as well as access world-class expertise, the latest technology and training. Their research will lead to vital new knowledge where huge gaps remain.

“Research will beat dementia, but we need to make it a reality sooner. One in three people born today will go on develop dementia in their lifetime, so it’s vital we boost the research field to help people now and give hope to those who will be affected in the future.”

The three Doctoral Training Centres

Alzheimer’s Society Doctoral Training Centre for Vascular and Immune Contributors to Dementia

Led by Professor Stuart Allan, University of Manchester.

Blood vessels and changes to the immune system play a key role in the underlying causes of dementia and this centre aims to deepen our understanding of the mechanisms involved and how they could be targeted to develop through new treatment. 

By building on this understanding, the students and their supervisors hope to improve diagnosis by identifying the very earliest signs, find ways to modify these signs through new and innovative treatments as well as improve care for patients with dementia.

Alzheimer’s Society Doctoral Training for Lewy Body Dementia

Led by Professor John-Paul Taylor, Newcastle University.

Lewy body dementia is one of the most common forms of dementia with very challenging symptoms of the individual with the condition and their loved one and yet it is not well understood. 

This centre will focus on understanding underlying causes of Lewy body dementia, develop technology to track its progression, improve its diagnosis and care as well as support the design of clinical trials into this under researched disease. 

Alzheimer’s Society Doctoral Training Centre for Integrated Care

Led by Professor Nathan Davies and Professor Claudia Cooper, Queen Mary University of London

This experienced and passionate team will explore how we deliver joined up care from diagnosis through to the end of life to ensure independence, autonomy and choice and which reaches people in under-served populations. 

This centre will focus on understanding how providing joined up care across primary, secondary and social care ensures that people with dementia receive care that is holistic and easy to navigate.